


The Girl In The Broken Castle

by Detroitbydark



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: AU, Charming Harry, F/M, First Meetings, Innocence, Kid Fic, Sad Evie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 12:58:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11852064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Detroitbydark/pseuds/Detroitbydark
Summary: "Perhaps all early love affairs ought to be strangled or drowned, like so many blind kittens."-William Makepeace Thackeray





	The Girl In The Broken Castle

The Isle of the Lost had two seasons. It was "miserable and hot" or "miserable and cold" with nothing in betwixt them. Harry had heard stories from old timers that hung around the docks, the old salts who'd actually sailed the Seven Seas (some even having accompanied his Da to Neverland). He liked their stories of things called "Spring" and "Fall" but all that they were were fantastical stories. "Spring" was a time meadows exploded in flowers. Supposedly, it happened every year! Try as he might he couldn't picture the feel of grass that didn't cut at his skin or imagine the smell of thousands of blooming buds perfuming the air with something other than the stale smell of fish and trash.

In general, there were really no flowers to speak of on the Isle. Of course he'd seen a flower before, wedged between craggy rocks and struggling to survive. He'd wanted to pluck it and rush it home and hide it away safe in his rack but something had stopped him. When he'd get older he'd look back and find the irony in the childish thought. 

Fall seemed to be an even more absurd idea. The old sea dog had told him that all the trees appeared as if they were on fire. What a truly terrifying idea! While he hadn't let on that the thought scared him, it really had. He pictured himself running through a wood with flames licking at his boots and branches snatching at his clothing. No, he didn't like the idea of fall one bit. Currently though he was worried about nothing much more than keeping warm. It was "miserable and cold" season on the Isle of the Lost and a wicked wind seemed to whip around each corner intent on chilling anyone who dared be out to the bone. 

He'd rather be curled up in his rack back on his Da's ship but his older sister, Harriet, had run him off claiming her "crew" was coming over and they needed the room. He tried to argue but in the end he'd been chased off by a few of older boys who ran with Harriet. He hated her, he thought. None of the Hook children were particularly close as his dear ole Da seemed to value the 'every man for himself' mentality' above all else.

He wanted nothing more than to impress the illustrious Captain. He practiced for hours a day with his sword. Lunge. Parry. Riposte. Repeat. He was good (for a eleven year old) or so he'd been told by the dock workers, many of whom were former pirates themselves. Of course, it was never enough for the Old Codfish. His attack was to slow. His feet were clumsy. He didn't think ahead. It was much the same with every other aspect of his life. His grades didn't come anywhere near rivaling his sisters. His younger sister, C.J., was plotting at a grade 7 level, by Hades! His father's voice was with him all the time in the back of his mind, reminding him of his short comings. Sometimes he could drown it out while others it was so loud he wanted to scream.

He kicked a loose stone in his path, looking up idly. He hadn't been paying attention and now he was in a part of the island he wasn't familiar with. He shrugged his shoulders for no reason in particularly and continued to meander to where, he had no clue, but he'd get there when he did. Around a bend an ancient castle loomed. The battlement surrounding the castle had long since crumbled to the ground leaving little mounds of stone and masonry piled about. The whole thing had an air of disuse to it that only served to pique his curiosity. He moved cautiously past where the battlement had once stood proud. He wondered if there was any treasure to be had in the old girl. Maybe something sparkly and shiny still hung about ripe for the picking. A gnarled, ancient fruit tree grew off to his right and his eyes widened at the bright red fruits hanging high up in the old limbs.

Apples! He'd had a bite of apple once, he'd nicked the core after his Da had his fill. While there hadn't been much left it had tasted extraordinary.  The flesh had been crunchy and sweet and he thought if, in that moment, he were to die he'd truly have experienced all of life's joys. His mouth watered as he stared at the hanging fruit. No one would miss just one...or maybe two. His mind made up he set out to climb the grizzled old beast. He'd spent years climbing and creeping around the docks and he moved with a grace the was beyond his years. It was fluid and smooth like waves washing over the rocky coast. His feet always found the right notch and his hands always picked the strongest branches to pull and grab. He was straddling a branch deciding which apple he'd take as his prize when a quiet sniffle met his ears. Looking up he cursed himself for missing the lit window above. So the castle was not so abandoned. It was ok. He'd snatch his fruit and be on his was but... the wet sounds of crying tugged at him. ' _Curiosity killed the cat'_ but everyone who chastised him with the quote seemed to forget that ' _satisfaction brought him back'_ in the end. Throwing caution to the cold, bitter wind Harry looked for a way to continue his upward climb to the window above. An old trellis lay anchored to the ancient stones, it's roses long since dead and dried. Deciding that the trellis was the most likely route he made a quick jump from tree to the makeshift ladder, scampering up like he was playing in the rigging at home. When he reached the top he gingerly peaked over the opening. 

A fire burned brightly in the hearth, he could feel the comforting heat radiating out the window. He wanted to curl up next to it and luxuriate in it's warmth. Another small sound of distress caught his attention and he remembered his original interest in the window itself. Sitting curled up  on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees was the most bewitching creature he'd ever seen (and he'd swear to the day he died that he'd once seen a mermaid). Her skin was the pale ivory of well loved piano keys and her hair shone like the sapphires his Da hoarded. And her lips! Harry hadn't yet had much experience with woman (or girls) but he'd kissed a few behind the chip shop and this girls were as red as the apple he'd pilfered below. He wondered idly if they'd taste just as sweet. He bit his lower lip in consternation. 

A pirate, by the name of Jack, had once pulled him aside. He'd been lost in drink for a good time and decided the young Hook needed to be let in on a great secret. 'It's not well known, young Master Hook, or maybe it's not much believed-" he trailed off for a moment before continuing, "Not all treasure is gold.". At the time Harry had snorted and called him an old fool (and received a cuff to the head. Drunk or not the man had been quick) but now he thought maybe he knew what Jack had been on about. He made to readjust his grip on the trellis. His movements attracted her attention and she let out a quiet gasp. Knowing the jig was up, the lure of a warm fire and the magical creature in front of it was too much. He moved easily off the trellis and into the room. 

"Don'na scream." he said trying to sound firm, "Please" he added when she looked like she was going to do everything but be silent.  She closed her mouth tightly, quickly rising to her feet and smoothing her skirts out around her legs. She wiped at her eyes with the back of one hand. He took a step to move closer but she took one back. He held his hands up calmly before lowering himself cross-legged to the floor. "I'm Harry" he said, "What's yer name?"

The girl eyed him warily like one of the feral cats that hung around the wharf. She sat across from him but didn't answer his question.

"Do yeh not speak?" He only wanted to hear a word from her. To know if her voice matched the radiance he could see, reddened eyes and all. Her head bobbed up and down, "Aye, so you speak. Maybe not te strangers though." He guessed. Her head nodded up and down again. "I suppose that's a good rule te have. I'm a pirate yeh know." he said conspiratorially.  "Yeh aught to never trust a pirate, lass."

 "Someday I'll be the fiercest pirate te sail the Seven Seas." He winked at her than trying every trick the girls he'd managed to get behind the chip shoppe fell for. The girl raised a well groomed eye brow at him as if to say  _I'm calling bullshite_.  Harry clutched at his heart than letting a pained look cross his face, "Yeh wound me my Lady." He was rewarded for his theatrics with a small smile.

"Ah, there yeh go. I din'na think you could be any more beautiful but than yeh go and smile." Her pale cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. He felt a little smug that HE'd been the one to do that. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes after that. The fire felt wonderful and he hoped his silence would draw her out hers.  He didn't get the chance to find out if it would have worked as the sound of feet on stairs began coming closer. His new silent acquaintance looked over at him in a sheer panic. She stood quickly as a firm knock came on the door. She motioned for the window and for him to hurry. Sensing the distress coming off her in waves he complied and was over the edge and half way down the trellis when the next knock came, a little louder this time. Her face was leaning out the window watching his progress. Her hair reminded him of ocean waves and her eyes were held a tiny spark of mischief. He couldn't help himself as climbed a couple rungs back up.

"What's yer name? Put a poor pirate out of his misery" She snorted quickly before looking over her shoulder, presumably toward the door. Her shoulders were tense but she sent him a quick smile.

"My name's Evie. Now get out of here before you get me in more trouble." She shooed him as if she was swatting some flies away from a pie.

"Can I see you again?" He shot back dangerously.

"You're a fool!" she screeched quietly. He could hear a muffled yell of woman demanding the door be opened. "Yes, fine! you can see me again. Now get lost!" Her head disappeared than and he felt it necessary to make a hasty retreat.

Later, when he was lying in a hammock swishing between a pair of pilings near, but not on, his Da's ship he imagined kissing a girl with gemstone eyes in a field of wild flowers. Her lips tasted like sweet, ripe apples. Suddenly nothing felt so fantastical.   

 

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of my head cannon-It's never made clear who Harry's mother is. I feel like when Harry saw the mermaid he mentions that was his mother checking in on the son she could never be with. Also, I feel like Evie was the first one to teach harry to apply the kohl around his eyes.


End file.
